Loading dock ramps or dock plates are commonly used to bridge the gap between a truck or railroad car and an adjacent loading dock which typically is at a different elevation than the floor of the truck or railroad car. Such ramps allow various wheel devices, such as fork lifts or pallet lifts, to be utilized in the loading and unloading of the truck or railroad car. However, substantial height differences between the floor of the truck or railroad car and the loading dock often create problems in such loading and unloading. For example, the frame of the wheeled vehicle can become caught on a steeply inclined ramp when one set of wheels is on the ramp and the other set of wheels is off the ramp. Also, loads extending beyond the front wheels of the vehicle can be caught on the ramp due to the inability to raise the load a sufficient height above the ramp. In addition, some loading trucks carrying a heavy load cannot proceed up a steeply inclined ramp.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an elongated dock ramp which overcomes the problems associated with extreme height differentials at opposite ends of the ramp.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an auxiliary loading dock ramp which can be secured to a conventional ramp so as to increase the overall length of the combined ramps and thereby decrease the angle of inclination from one end to the other.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an auxiliary loading dock ramp which is portable, yet can be securely locked into place during use.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a portable loading dock ramp which is easy to maneuver into position and which is safe and durable in use.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the description of the dock ramp of the present invention.